FMQs: Salmond urged to quit Westminster seat

Published on Wednesday 3 June 2009 17:50

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond was today urged to quit his Westminster seat after it emerged he will miss a "historic" Holyrood vote so he can attend the House of Commons.

Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott issued the challenge after Mr Salmond said he will not be in Edinburgh next week to vote on sexual offences legislation.

Instead Mr Salmond said he will be in Westminster, where MPs will be debating a joint SNP and Plaid Cymru motion calling for Parliament to be dissolved so there can be an immediate general election.

Mr Salmond is the MP for Banff and Buchan and the MSP for Gordon.

During First Minister's Questions, Mr Scott said MSPs will be voting on the Scottish Government's Sexual Offences Bill, described by SNP ministers as "a once-in-a-generation opportunity" and also an "historic opportunity".

Rape Crisis Scotland said the Bill is a "crucial" chance to improve the law in this area.

Mr Scott asked: "Will the First Minister be here to vote for it or will he be going down to Westminster to vote for an immediate general election."

Mr Salmond told him: "My judgment, encouraged by the resounding and solid support of the Liberal Democrats at Westminster for the motion, is that the duty and obligation I have to the people is to vote for the general election so they can clear out Westminster."

But Mr Scott said: "The First Minister has actually been caught out by his own decision.

"His constituents in Banff and Buchan may indeed expect him to be in the House of Commons at four o'clock next Wednesday to vote for an immediate general election.

"But his constituents in Gordon expect him to be here at the same time, to vote on important legislation that will protect people from crime.

"Two jobs in two cities, two Parliaments, two constituencies – too many people being let down."

He urged Mr Salmond to stand down as an MP, saying: "If there's not to be a general election after next Wednesday will he make sure there's a local one in Banff and Buchan, so they can have a full time Member of Parliament and so this Parliament can have a full time First Minister."

But Mr Salmond said former Liberal Democrat Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace was also an MP and an MSP.

"I'd be interested to know from Tavish Scott how he defines the difference between the situation I'm now in and the situation that his former colleague, the Deputy First Minister, was in," Mr Salmond added.

"I know there is one difference, and that is that all of my MSP's salary goes to charitable causes in the north east of Scotland. I don't know what Jim Wallace was doing with his."